Embossing type spacer, holder and stripper



25, 1964 N. L. SMITH ETAL EMBOSSING TYPE SPACER, HOLDER AND STRIPPER Filed May 29, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l u mm m 5 NM 7 s 6 V. N 1 a 2 N W n m Mm P s w Na 4 Aug. 25, 1964 N. 1.. SMITH ETAL I 3,145,151

EMBOSSING TYPE SPACER, HOLDER AND STRIPPER Filed May 29, 1962 Z SheetS-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,146,151 EMBOSEilNG TYPE SPACER, HOLDER AND STRIPPER Norman L. Smith, 9 Acorn St., Maiden, Mass, and Joseph Mazzuchelli, 6 Rainier Road, Mattapan, Mass. Filed May 29, 1962, Ser. No. 198,654 4 Claims. (Cl. 156-510) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus used for making embossed cards. More specifically, the improvements relate to the spacing and holding of the type characters and the improved means for stripping surplus foil from the finished cards.

Identification cards, place cards, placards and other cards which are usually one-of-a-kind are often made by placing a sheet of thin, brilliantly colored foil against a card; and by means of a press, to force type characters to embed portions of the foil onto the card. The embedded portions of the foil conform to the characters of the type and, after the surplus foil is stripped from the card, the

embedded foil characters form words, names, numbers or symbols in accordance with the type characters used.

One Well-known method for making embossed cards is with the use of a fiat base or board on which a grid line set-up chart is placed. The individual type characters must be hand placed and aligned by eye on the set-up chart by trying to align them in proper relationship on the grid line chart. After the type characters are placed on the set-up chart, the characters are covered with an embossing foil, which, in turn, is covered by the blank card to be embossed. The flat base or board, if not already in the press, is placed on the bed plate of the press and the ram lowered against the upper face of the card where sufficient pressure is applied to force the type characters to embed corresponding portions of the foil onto the lower face of the card. The card is then removed and the surplus foil clinging to the card is removed or stripped with hand tools. The removal of the surplus foil is a tedious and time-consuming operation. Furthermore, the stripping operation warrants improvement since many cards are ruined when portions of the embedded foil break loose and leave defective embossed characters on the card.

An apparatus made in accordance with our invention has greatly improved the qaulity of cards produced, has reduced the time required to produce cards, has reduced the amount of hand stripping required and has greatly reduced spoilage. This has been accomplished by inventing an apparatus in which the type characters are positively aligned and held in place, and by the use of a stripping device not previously used in making embossed cards in accordance with the above-described method.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for producing embossed cards of superior quality.

Another object of this invention is to reduce the time required to produce an embossed card.

A further object of this invention is to reduce the spoilage rate in producing embossed cards.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus in which characters used on all cards may be permanently held in place.

Additional objects, advantages and features of the invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention as will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view of the apparatus with the stripper in the open position.

3,146,151 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus with the stripper in the closed and latched position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation along line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the embossing foil and the blank card on the apparatus before embossing.

FIG. 4 is an elevation similar to FIG. 3 showing the embossing foil embedded into the card by the type characters under pressure application.

Referring to the drawings and, in particular to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the apparatus 10 has for its major components, a base member 12, a stripper 14, a latch lock 16 and a left margin guide 18. The base 12 has a series of elevated type guides 20 extending from the upper face, which may be integral as best shown on FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. If desired, the type guides may be individually made and joined to a fiat base member. The type guides 26 are separated by T-slots 2.2 for slidably receiving and holding in spaced alignment on the axis of the T-slot, individual type characters 24 having edge configurations to slidably engage the T-slots as shown on FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

Although the type guides should all be of the same height they are not required to have uniform spacing. Likewise, the T-slots need not be all of the same size, but may be of several sizes to accommodate several sizes of type characters. The type characters must be of a fixed height greater than the height of the type guides 20 so as to extend or protrude above the upper face of the type guides as shown on FIG. 3 and FIG. 47

The several sizes of type characters and the nonuniform spacing of the type guides and the several sizes of T-slots may be as illustrated on FIG. 1. For purposes of illustration, it'is presumed that the apparatus is to emboss identification cards, at hte top of which are to appear the card holders name and department number, to be followed below in columns by certain other required information. Referring to FIG. 1, the two T-slots in the upper left corner may be adapted for large type characters with which to emboss the card holders name. The shorter T-slot in the upper right hand corner may receive numeral type characters for the card holders department number. The plurality of smaller T-slots in the lower half of the base would receive smaller type characters with which to emboss other information.

The left margin guide 18, as shown to the right on FIG. 1, closes one end of the slots and has a plurality of fingers 18a spaced to be interdigitated with the T-slots. The guide 18 rests on a plurality of slip fit pins 26 from which it may be lifted to free the right end of the T-slots to permit entry of the type characters 24. Fingers 18a of guide 18 are all of the same length. The ends of the fingers, against which the type characters, are placed as shown, provide a uniform and straight left-hand margin by establishing the alignment location of the type characters in the various T-slots.

A margin bar 28 is provided for use in those cases where a second column of embossing is required. The margin bar has a head 28a and a leaf 2812 which slidably engages a slot transverse to and intersecting the T-slots as shown onFIG. 1. The margin bar locates the second column of the embossed characters by providing obstructions in the T-slots against which type characters loaded from the left end of the T-slots may be aligned. When not required, or when long lines are to be embossed, the margin bar 28 may be removed from the base.

A base made in accordance With the present disclosure further provides a convenient means for permanently afiixing anything which is to appear on each embossed card. For example, suppose a vertical embossed line is to appear on the upper portion of each card between the card holders name and department number. The means for embossing the line may be as lug 30 which may o) be machined directly on the base or may be joined thereto any well-known means. The face of lug 30 must project above the upper faces of the type guides 20 by an amount equal to the projection of the type characters above the faces of the type guides.

The stripper 14, which is preferably made of spring steel or Phosphor bronze having a thickness of approximately .018 of an inch in order to have flexibility, is joined to a hinge pin 32 which is pivotally supported by means of a hinge block 34 at each end. The hinge blocks are joined to base 12 by means of screws 36. The stripper has a series of slots 38 so located and of such size as will receive the type characters 24 and lug 30 which may pass through the slots with a small amount of clearance.

Block 40 is joined to the underneath side of stripper 14 by means of screws 42 at such location that when the stripper is closed to be superimposed on the base as shown on FIG. 2, the block will enter cavity 44 in base 12. Cavity 4-4 in cooperation with block 40 stabilizes the location of the stripper on the type characters. The stripper is held in the closed or superimposed position by turning latch lock 16 a quarter turn. Latch lock 16 is rtatably joined to base 12 by screw 46.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, where because of the small thickness of elements the relationships are shown in exaggerated form, the stripper 14 is mounted on the base so that in the closed position, it will be in substantially the superimposed relationship with the base and type characters as shown. That is, the stripper will be in approximately the same plane as the top of the type characters and at some small distance above the faces of the type guides. In use, the embossing foil 48 is placed on top of the type characters 24, and the stripper 14 closed to the position shown, thus holding the embossing foil in place. Card 50 which is to be embossed is then placed on top of the stripper.

FIG. 4 shows in exaggerated form the relationship between elements when the press has applied enough pressure (shown symbolically by arrows) to embed foil onto the card. It is noted that the surplus embossing foil and stripper 14 now rest on the faces of the type guides 20 and that the type characters have pierced embossing foil 48 and have passed through slots 38 of the stripper. The foil directly in contact with the characters on the type has been embossed onto the face of the card. When the card, which has now been embossed, is removed, very little foil must be hand stripped since only foil in contact with the type characters was severed from the foil blank 48. Most of the hand stripping will consist of picking out closed letters such as the letters P and O.

The foil used in the above-described method of making an embossed card is the cold process type. Such foil has adhesive on its upper face of such nature as will bond the foil to the card without further processing. Other types of foil such as, for example, hot process foil may be used in our apparatus.

It is to be understood that the present invention as shown and described is to be regarded as illustrative only and that the invention is susceptible to variations, modifications and changes within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for holding and type embossing a foil onto a card superimposed on the apparatus in a press after which the surplus foil not embossed is stripped from the card, said apparatus comprising: a base member having a plurality of slot means for slidably receiving and holding in alignment two or more rows of type characters, margin guide means removably joined to said base member adjacent to and closing one end of each of said slot means for establishing the vertical alignment of a column of type characters, stripper means movably superimposed on said base member for holding an embossing foil sheet against the type end of said type characters and having a plurality of slot means for receiving the type end or" said type characters when pressure is applied by the press to emboss the foil against the card, and means for holding said stripper means in the superimposed position when the embossed card is lifted from said apparatus to thereby assure stripping the embossed card from the embossing foil sheet.

2. An apparatus for holding and type embossing a foil onto a card superimposed on the apparatus in a press after which the surplus foil not embossed is stripped from the card, said apparatus comprising: a base member having a plurality of slot means for slidably receiving and holding in alignment two or more rows of type characters, a first margin guide means removably joined to said base member adjacent to and closing one end of each of said slot means for establishing the vertical alignment of a first column of type characters, a second margin guide means removably joined to said base member and intersecting the slot means for establishing the vertical alignment of a second column of type characters, stripper means movably superimposed on said base member for holding an embossing foil sheet against the type end of said type characters and having a plurality of slot means for receiving the type end of said type characters when pressure is applied by the press to emboss the foil against the card, and means for holding said stripper means in the superimposed position when the embossed card is lifted from said apparatus to thereby assure stripping the embossed card from the embossing foil sheet.

3. An apparatus for holding and type embossing a foil onto a card superimposed on the apparatus in a press after which the surplus foil not embossed is stripped from the card, said apparatus comprising: a base member having a plurality of type guides extending from the upper face and providing a plurality of slot means for slidably receiving and holding in alignment two or more rows of type characters and further having a slot transverse to and intersecting the type guides, said type guides being of a height less than the height of said type characters, a first margin guide removably joined to said base member adjacent to one end of the type guides in said base member and having fingers interdigitating with the slot means in said base member to establish the vertical alignment of a first column of type characters, a second margin guide removably engaging the transverse slot in said base member for establishing the vertical alignment of a second column of type characters, stripper means in hinged communication with said base member, said stripper means closing to a superimposed position over the type guides on said base member for holding an embossing foil sheet against the type end of said type characters and being of a thickness less than the protrusion of said type characters from said type guides and having a plurality of slot means in spaced relationship for receiving the protruding portion of said type characters when pressure is applied by the press to emboss the foil onto the card, and means for releasably holding said stripper means in the superimposed position when the embossed card is lifted from said apparatus to thereby assure stripping the embossed card from the embossing foil sheet.

4. An apparatus for holding and type embossing a foil onto a card superimposed on the apparatus in a press after which the surplus foil not embossed is stripped from the card, said apparatus comprising: a base member having a plurality of type guides extending from the upper face and providing a plurality of T-slots for slidably receiving and holding in alignment two or more rows of type characters and further having a slot transverse to and intersecting the type guides, said type guides being of a height less than the height of said type characters, a first margin guide removably joined to said base member adjacent to one end of the type guides in said base member and having fingers interdigitating with the T-slots in said base member to establish the vertical alignment of a first column of type Characters, a second margin guide removably engaging the transverse slot in said base member for establishing the vertical alignment of a second column of type characters, a stripper in hinged communication With said base member, said stripper closing to a superimposed position over the type guides on said base member for holding an embossing foil sheet against the type end of said type characters and being of a thickness less than the protrusion of said type characters from said type guides and having a plurality of slots in spaced relationship for receiving the protruding portion of said type characters when pressure is applied by the press to emboss the foil onto the card, and latch means for releasably holding said stripper in the superimposed position when the embossed card is lifted from said apparatus to thereby assure stripping the embossed card from the embossing foil sheet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stevenson Aug. 10, 1920 Goddefroy Oct. 19, 1926 Messmer Mar. 6, 1928 Poeppelmeier Dec. 1, 1931 Berggren Oct. 18, 1955 Smith et a1 Feb. 10, 1959 Kingsley Nov. 29, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 15, 1939 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND TYPE EMBOSSING A FOIL ONTO A CARD SUPERIMPOSED ON THE APPARATUS IN A PRESS AFTER WHICH THE SURPLUS FOIL NOT EMBOSSED IS STRIPPED FROM THE CARD, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLOT MEANS FOR SLIDABLY RECEIVING AND HOLDING IN ALIGNMENT TWO OR MORE ROWS OF TYPE CHARACTERS, MARGIN GUIDE MEANS REMOVABLY JOINED TO SAID BASE MEMBER ADJACENT TO AND CLOSING ONE END OF EACH OF SAID SLOT MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING THE VERTICAL ALIGNMENT OF A COLUMN OF TYPE CHARACTERS, STRIPPER MEANS MOVABLY SUPERIMPOSED ON SAID BASE MEMBER FOR HOLDING AN EMBOSSING FOIL SHEET AGAINST THE TYPE END OF SAID TYPE CHARACTERS AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLOT MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE TYPE END OF SAID TYPE CHARACTERS WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED BY THE PRESS TO EMBOSS THE FOIL AGAINST THE CARD, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID STRIPPER MEANS IN THE SUPERIMPOSED POSITION WHEN THE EMBOSSED CARD IS LIFTED FROM SAID APPARATUS TO THEREBY ASSURE STRIPPING THE EMBOSSED CARD FROM THE EMBOSSING FOIL SHEET. 